Rosie's daycare just called me today to let me know that another child choked her this morning. The way they described the incident is that Rosie was quietly reading a book and a boy in her class demanded it from her. She was still reading it, so she said no. So, he choked her!
The director explained that the teachers, the parent, and he were all in lengthy meetings today to discuss how to handle this, because apparently this boy has had other aggressive physical incidents.
I asked if the child was pulled from school for the day and no, he wasn't. Apparently, each time this child has acted out, he has told his mother that he was provoked first, even though his teachers and other observers (there was a parent in the room this morning) did not see any
provocation. Each time, the mother believed the child instead of the teachers, the director or other observers. Provoked or not, choking is seriously anti-social behavior!
I understand that this would be a hard situation if it was my child was choking other children, but parental denial is not productive. We have worked with Rosie on the few, minor hitting incidents she's had; she knows that if her teachers tell us about any hitting or being mean to a
friend, her at-home priviledges are revoked (snacks, TV, etc.). Nothing has been reported to us for months.
I'll be following up with this to see what will be done; the next step is disenrollment for the choker. I feel badly that Rosie still had to be in school with him all day after he attacked her! Poor Rosie.
Yikes! That's not a phone call anyone would want to get. Glad she wasn't hurt.
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